Up to $30 million will be made available to grassroots cricket as part of a substantial investment by Australia’s professional cricketers.
Australia’s cricketers will pump up to $30 million into the sport’s grassroots, with the funds to be used to improve playing and training facilities across the nation.
In money that would have previously been directed to the player payment pool, the unprecedented investment comes as part of the acrimoniously negotiated Memorandum of Understanding between Cricket Australia and the players association.
“The players are passionate about giving back to the game that has given us so much,” injured Test fast bowler Josh Hazlewood said.
MORE TO COME
Peter Warrington
Guest
Love to see it underwrite something that then underwrites a women's test between Australia and the World in the leadup to the T20 next year. Just based on WBBL squad overseas players from 18-19, the World could feature: Mandhana Devine Bates Kaur Satterthwaite H Matthews Taylor Priest Van Niekerk (c) Kapp Tahuhu What a magnificent line-up. Pit them against: Bolton Mooney Gardner Lanning (c) Haynes Perry Healy (wk) Carey/Vlaeminck depending on the deck Molineux Schutt Wareham with apologies to Villaini. 4 x 100 over days. Manuka. Unreal!
bazza
Guest
This came about from the deal they had last yr which involved the strike so before sandpaper gate.
Larry1950
Guest
Public relations exercise in response to sandpapergate,mI'd suggest. Like advertising salespeople, the 'up to' and 'from' can make very little sound like a big deal. When do we get details?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Really well expressed…and the one issue that can easily be attended to by funding (of which there is plenty). Your last comment is so important; “Yes, it wont be the current club player that lifts the Ashes next year; but it might their kid, who spent every Saturday watching and emulating their Dad play down at the local park, who does in 20 years.”
Tlux
Guest
Hopefully this funding doesn't follow the same old tropes of 'youth and female development' . Senior aged club cricket is in a real bad way at the moment. A lot of funding is getting spent on the next generation of players, but very little is supporting existing suburban cricket clubs. Clubs are getting squeezed out of their fields by bigger winter sports who's season keeps expanding. The costs and resources needed for turf wickets is very high. Pretty soon there's not going to be anywhere for the 'next generation' to play when they graduate in 5-10 years time. If this funding is just about finding the next generation of elite players.... ok fine, but i'd argue those identification programs already exist and are well funded. Real grassroots cricket clubs are the barometer for Australian cricket. Yes, it wont be the current club player that lifts the Ashes next year; but it might their kid, who spent every Saturday watching and emulating their Dad play down at the local park, who does in 20 years.
Paul
Roar Guru
It's clear CA AND the broadcasters got their scheduling badly wrong with the BBL, I2I. I think they've already admitted as much when Roberts said a few weeks ago they'd be reviewing the BBL arrangements. You also have to bear in mind, this seasons schedule was put together by Sutherland, Peever and co, who clearly put the almighty dollar, well before the game. Hopefully, now that they've gone, some sanity can prevail and we can strike a balance between making money and enjoying the various forms of cricket.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Good on 'em! Meanwhile CA extended the BBL 'season' into a snorefest to milk it for all it's worth. Adults back at work, kids back at school, holidays over and CA holding games which wiped off the Christmas profits. Pretty obvious who has crickets future at heart.